Costume Round Up: Get Your Coat

As we’ve just posted our essay about Meryl Streep’s Burberry trench coat in Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), it seems fitting we have a round up of the best coat related posts in the Clothes on Film archive. This is coats purely as outerwear too. So, even though lounge suit jackets are traditionally referred to as coats, here they stay as jackets. Likewise Victorian frock coats; that is a round up for another day. Click the image to read the article.

The plush fur-trimmed coat worn by Angelina Jolie as Christine Collins in 1920/30s set The Changeling (2008). Jolie referred to her costumes as “dolls’ clothes”, which is more costume designer Deborah Hopper’s unwavering commitment to the period than anything else.

Gwyneth Paltrow as middle class fashion icon Margot Tenenbaum in The Royal Tenenbaums (2001). That toffee coloured fur coat is by Fendi, real mink and will set you back around $4,000 – if you can find one. Costume design by Karen Patch.

The seemingly rudimentary raincoat worn by communications expert Harry Caul (Gene Hackman) in The Conversation (1974) is exactly that. Under instructions from director Francis Ford Coppola, costume designer Aggie Guerard Rogers bought a dozen of these translucent raincoats because they tore so easily.

Roger Moore’s beautiful chesterfield from Live and Let Die (1973). This post even includes photographs of the actual Cyril Castle made overcoat sent to us by its owner. 007 never looked more elegant.

Amazingly Talia Shire as Adrian Pennino (then Balboa) in the Rocky movies did have her fashion moments, and none more than this double breasted princess line coat from the original film. It is very much of the time (1976), vivid in colour, fur topped and would be one heck of a vintage find. Finish with fur beret to complete the ‘geek blossoming’ look. Costume design by Robert Cambel.

Johnny Depp’s charcoal herringbone wool overcoat worn as John Dillinger in Public Enemies (2009) is one of instigating factors in the legendary gangster getting caught. Read the article to find out more… this is one of costume designer Colleen Atwood’s best.

Ghostbusters (1984) is not a film that leaps to mind for luxurious outerwear, but let’s not forget Sigourney Weaver’s cape coat. This suits her character – initially frosty but eventually melted musician Dana Barrett – perfectly. It resembles a 19th century Garrick, although 1980s details are very apparent: big buttons, oversized, wide check. You can’t miss it. Costume design by Theoni V. Aldredge.